


Trust is paramount

by GilliganGoodfellow



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Good Parent Hank Anderson, This girl's been hit by the redemption!Gavin bug, Trust Issues, there is no cure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-17 08:42:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15457542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GilliganGoodfellow/pseuds/GilliganGoodfellow
Summary: Hank finds himself wondering when the last time someone held him was.Had it ever happened? Gavin never spoke about a family.How many people had let him down in the past?





	Trust is paramount

“Trust is paramount.” The RT-600 Chloe model blinks as she looks at each member of the circle stood around her, all wearing matching gym trousers and t-shirts for the Detroit Police Department.

The Chloe walks out of the circle, towards an obstacle course of chairs, benches, and tripping hazards.

“Now we will all take turns in pairs, one person will do the obstacle course, while their partner verbally guides them.” She holds up her hand, revealing a blindfold.

“What’s the fucking point of that?” Gavin crosses his arms.

“The...fucking point, Detective…” Chloe doesn’t miss a beat, and Hank immediately falls in love. “...is to demonstrate trust. Trust in your partner that they won’t let you fall or trip, and to also feel trusted by your partner to guide.”

“That’s a kid’s game.”

“Me a Lieutenant Anderson can go first.” Connor says brightly, causing an eye roll from said volunteered Lieutenant.

“Point made.” Gavin mutters under his breath, but Connor either doesn’t hear him or ignores Gavin completely as he sets himself up in the middle of the room.

“Your blindfold detective.”

“Good luck, Hank.” Chris shouts as Hank climbs up onto the bench, and applies the blindfold.

“I will make sure you don’t fall, Lieutenant.”

“Yeah, you better Connor.” Hank says, deliberate weariness in his voice as he turns his head to blindly face his partner. “Because if you don’t, I’ll kick your plastic ass so hard, you’ll land in Canada.”

The group laugh, then fall quiet as Hank begins walking.

“Forward five feet, Lieutenant.”

“Okay, sat nav. Let’s assume I can’t calculate five feet.”

“Keep walking forward slowly until I stay stop.” Connor watches Hank walk forward. “Stop. There is a gap in front of you, a natural human step, and you will be on another bench. At the end of this bench you can step down, and there is a small rope maze. I shall guide you through this.”

The rest of the team watch, most smiling, one frowning, as Hank is guided through the simple rope maze. “Very good, now you will need to climb over two chairs, pressed together to form a bed shape. They are approximately the height of your knees.”

“Yeah.” Hank finds the edge by touch, and climbs over.

“A few more steps and you will be at the end.” Connor smiles. “Well done.”

“Yes, excellent.” Chloe says, smiling. “You showed only 11% hesitation. You clearly have a lot of trust in your partner.

“Nah, he’s okay, I suppose.” Hank says, removing the blindfold and giving Connor a smirk.

Tina and Chris go next, with Chris wearing the blindfold. Behind them is Samantha Person and Ben, who take turns being the one with the blindfold. Then Hank guides Connor, and Chris guides Tina. And before they know it, half an hour has passed.

“Detective Reed.” The Chloe calls, once everything has fallen quiet. “You have not participated yet.”

“And I ain’t going to. It’s a kid's game.”

“Come on Gavin, it’s fun.” Chris holds out the blindfold. “I won’t let you fall.”

“Sure you won’t.” Gavin spits, looking from Chris to the rest of the group, and missing the genuinely hurt look in the other detective’s eyes.

“Detective Reed, you are showing an elevated heart rate.” Chloe displays a concerned expression, her LED yellow. “Do you have reason to mistrust your colleagues.”

“Oh I distrust everyone, Doll. It ain’t personal.”

“Gav.” Chris’s voice is barely above a whisper as Tina steps up behind him, a hand on his shoulder.

“Right. Come on Gavin, stop messing around.” Ben doesn’t even finish speaking before he grabs Gavin and practically forces the blindfold over his eyes. “Over to the bench with you.”

“Ben?” Hank calls, stepping towards the pair.

Gavin fights his way out of Ben’s hold, crying out as he blindly pushes himself back, and trips over the bench. Crashing to the floor on the other side, he grunts as he sits up, pulling off the blindfold and staring at Ben, his teeth gritted. “You bastard.”

“Gavin, I’m sorry. Are you hurt?”

“Of course I’m fucking hurt.” He shouts back, pulling his knees up to his chest.

“Detective Collins, that was not the best approach.” Chloe says. “You must be calmer when encouraging colleagues.”

“He’s just being difficult.” Ben argues. “He always is.”

Hank isn’t so sure as he looks down at the oddly pale shade to Gavin’s skin. He was sweating, and his eyes were wide.

Christ, was he scared.

Seeming to realise that he was the centre of attention for all the wrong reasons, Gavin struggles to his feet, rushing at Ben and only stopping when both Chris and Person grab him. “You bastard.”

“Calm down Gav.”

Gavin shrugs out of their hold, wrapping his arms around himself in a defensive fashion. “You fucking happy now. You all got to watch me FALL over the bench.” He shouts, teeth gritted as he turns to face the corner of the room, back on everyone. “What are you all staring at? You got your floor show.”

“Yeah, everyone out.” Hank’s voice rises. “Go on, get out. You too, Chloe.”

“Lieutenant?”

“Out Connor.”

And everyone trickles out of the room, closing the door behind them with a quiet click.

“Okay.” Hank moves to stand in front of Gavin, less than a foot away. He stoops slightly so that he is eye level with Gavin. “Okay, asshole?”

Gavin smirks, then looks down at the floor. “Peachy.”

“You know, that Chloe ain’t letting you out of this room until you do the task.” Hank says. “She’s a determined doll.”

Gavin grows tense. If he were an android, the LED would be red.

Hank lowers his voice, and places a hand on each of Gavin’s shoulders. “Come here, Gavin.”

“Wha…” Gavin flinches back.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Hank smiles. “Why are you embarrassed? No one but me in the room, and since when did you give a fuck about my opinion?” He takes hold of Gavin again. “You’re trembling. Come here.”

Hank gently pulls the detective towards him, wrapping strong arms around him, the younger man's head cradled against his chest. The fact that he doesn’t put up more of a fight is probably a testament to how freaked out he is feeling. In fact he seems to relax into the hug, even sighing slightly. And Hank finds himself wondering when the last time someone held him was.

Had it ever happened? Gavin never spoke about a family.

How many people had let him down in the past?

Hank hugs Gavin for a few moments longer than he originally intended to, while making a mental note to clap the younger man on the shoulder a few more times in the future. Then he takes a breath and takes the blindfold from Gavin’s hand. Slowly, incredibly slowly, he lifts it up, and covers Gavin’s eyes.

The younger detective immediately tenses up. “Anderson?”

“Relax.” Hank says, putting his arm around Gavin’s shoulder and gently encouraging him over to the bench. “Right in front of you, step up.”

Gavin feels forward with his foot, and steps up. His tension is so apparent now that it looks painful. Still on the ground, Hank reaches out, taking the detective’s hand.

“Okay, Gavin I’m going to make you fall of the bench.”

Gavin flinches. “What!”

“Just this one time. Because I want you to know how that feels, so it isn’t unknown. And you know you can’t be hurt. Because I am going to catch you. Okay. Gavin?”

Gavin shakes his head.

“Okay, take off the blindfold.”

He does so, leaving it against his forehead.

“Doing okay, kid?” Gavin tenses up, and nods. “On three. One, two…” He pulls, and Gavin loses his balance, toppling sideways into the detective. Hank stumbles backwards, but remains upright, Gavin held against him.

“See, I got you. You don’t have to be scared. Even if you fall, I’ll catch you.”

Gavin nods, and climbs back onto the bench of his own accord. Hank gives him a fond smile, the smile widening when Gavin pulls the blindfold back down.

He takes his hand again. “You better not tell ANYONE that I held your hand, Hank.”

“Oh the secret will be everywhere by tomorrow lunchtime.”

They share a chuckle, and Gavin takes a step forward.

“Easy. Another step. Now another. Okay, one more then there’s that gap. Ready. I got you. Step over. Good.” Okay, few more steps then you step down.”

Gavin nods, walking forward with slow, hesitant steps, and stepping down.

“Okay, rope maze. Gonna let go for this one, but I’m right here.” He lets go of Gavin’s hand, and goes to stand at the edge of the maze. “Doing great kid. Come on.”

Hank keeps talking, wanting Gavin to be able to keep hearing his voice in the darkness. The younger detective seems to glow in the praise, which causes Hank’s stomach to knot. Kid was starved for positive attention. He casts the emotion to one side for now, continuing with gentle encouragement as Gavin walks a bit faster. “That’s good, keep going. Right, turn Left, okay forward one step two. Stop. Nearly had you in the wall there. Turn right. No you’re other right, idiot.”

Gavin laughs nervously as he turns 180. “Takes one to know one, asshole.”

“Yeah yeah.” Hank crosses his arms as Gavin reaches the end of the maze. “Right. Chairs next. Just climb over them, yeah. One more step, right in front of you now.”

“Why?”

“Um, because the Chloe put them there?”

“No.” Gavin looks blindly in his direction. “Why?”

“What do you mean, why? Because I’m a decent human being. And because you looked like a kicked puppy just now.”

Gavin chuckles at that, turning to feel his way across the chairs. He’s painstakingly slow, but he makes it.

As soon as he is on the other side, he takes the blindfold off, taking a deep breath.

“There.” Hank says. “That wasn’t too bad was it.”

Hank’s interrupted by the sound of cheering and clapping from the other side of the two glass windows in the gym doors.

“Fuck.” Gavin says under his breath, closing his eyes, keeping his back to the door.

Hank laughs,  giving Gavin’s hand a squeeze. . “Least we were only holding hands.” He ruffles Gavin’s hair.

“Bastard.” He mutters, albeit while smiling as he fixes his hair back.

“Fine, asshole.” Hank shakes his head, then grabs the blindfold. “Your turn to guide me. And I’m trusting you not to have me falling on my ass. I’m too old for that.”

Gavin bites his bottom lip nervously, and stands up a bit straighter. “You can trust me.”

Hank doesn’t say anything, he just puts the blindfold on.


End file.
